Lawn sprinkler head



H. R. GODDARD LAWN SPRINKLER HEAD Filed Aug. 1, 1946 Holl GO M Patented Aug. 10, 1948 UNITED STATES i ANT QFFICE.

LAWN SPRINKLER HEAD Holly R. Goddard, North Hollywood, Calif.

Application August 1, 1946, Serial No. 687,563

1 Claim. 1 This invention relates to an improved lawn sprinkler head.

The invention is primarily designed for use as a part of a sprinkler system wherein a number of the heads will be respectively connected at.

suitable intervals with an underground pipe network for sprinkling large areas, although, however, the head is equally suitable for use as an individual unit carried by an appropriate portable stand.

It has been found highly desirable, in such asystern, to employ a spray of rectangular pattern, as the overlapping watering of meeting marginal areas between two adjacent sprays, as experienced in connection with sprays of circular pattern,may thereby be avoided. However, as will be appreciated, it is also highly desirable, for the reason noted, to provide a spray wherein the rectangular pattern thereof will be precise, and wherein the spray-pattern screw employed will retain its adjusted position fixed against the impact of the water tending to rotate the screw out of adjustment to create a condition such that two adjacent sprays of rectangular pattern would not be w parallel to each other.

The present invention therefore has as its objects to provide a sprinkler head which will furnish a spray of rectangular pattern, wherein the rectangular pattern of the spray will be concise, wherein overlapping watering of the area covered by the spray at the diagonal angles between the side and end portions of the spray pattern will be minimized, wherein the spray-pattern screw employed may be adjusted without molesting any of the other parts, simply by turning the screw with the fingers at the top of the head, thus to vary the density of the spray as well as the area covered thereby, wherein said screw will be yield-ably locked automatically in any adjusted position so that when once the screw is set to produce a spray which will cover a given area, the screw may not, through the force of water thereon, move out of adjusted position, and wherein the hollow carrier plug which mounts the spray-pattern screw will provide a valve which may, without displacement of any of the other parts, be manually turned to shut oil flow of water through the head, so that, if so desired, chosen heads of a sprinkler system may be closed.

Other and incidental objects will appear during the following description of the invention, and in the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary vertical section showing a sprinkler system embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the water supply pipe and sprinkler heads. I

Figure 3 is a vertical section through the head, associated parts being shown in elevation.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the head.

Figure 5 is an enlarged bottom plan view of the head of the spray-patternscrew.

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail elevation of the screw.

Figure 7 is a perspective view showing the parts in proper relative position but detached from each other.

Referring now more particularly to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, I have shown my improved lawn sprinkler head in conjunction with a sprinkler system embodying any required number of water supply pipes, one of which is shown at I 8. Interposed in said pipe at suitable intervals are couplings H, and rising from said couplings are nipples E2 to each of which the sprinkler head of the present invention is attached, it being noted, in Figure 1, that the upper surfaces of the heads are disposed close to the surface of the ground.

In carrying the invention into effect, I employ a cylindrical shell is internally threaded at its lower end to engage one of the nipples l2 and provided at its upper end with an enlarged annular rim M from which projects a circular flange l5. Formed in the flange l5 are notches Hi to receive a spanner wrench so that the device may be readily engaged with the nipple I2. Extending within the lower end portion of the shell is a flange l1 formed centrally with an opening [8. The upper surface of this flange is fiat and smooth to provide a valve seat.

Screwed into the upper end of the shell I3 is a hollow removable carrier plug 59 having a top wall 28 in which is formed a central discharge orifice 21. Fixed in the lower end of the plug is a spider 22 having, as particularly seen in Figure 7, spiral slots 23 therein. Thus, Water rising from the nipple 12 through the opening I8 of the flange I! of the shell l3 and through said slots will be given by the spirally curved upper walls of said slots at swirling motion within the plug.

Engaged centrally through the spider 22 of the plug I9 is a spray-pattern screw 26, and screwed thereon to abut the head of the screw is a rectangular spray head 25. In the present instance, I have shown the head to be substantially square. However, an oblong head could be employed, and by making the head detachable, heads of difierent shape may be substituted one for another.

that said faces will divert the water into four,

upwardly flowing sheets widening toward the upper peripheral margin of the head. Therefore, these sheets of water, if not checked, will seriously overlap each other to result in a double watering of portions of the area covered by the spray. Channels in lieu of the fiat faces 21 have been tried, but channels result in undesirable jets of water issuing from the corners of the head. In contrast, the flat faces 2'! have been found to be the best. Narrow sheets of water will, of course, flow upwardly along said faces and due to the sharp angles provided between the faces 26 and 21, said narrow sheets of water will tend to retain a uniform width and thus deter spreading of the sheets of water on the faces 25 of the head without the formation of more or less solid jets of water at the corners of the head.

Formed in the periphery of the screw 24 near its lower end is a transverse slot 28, and surrounding the lower end portion of the screw to abut at its upper end against the spider 22 of the plug I9 is a removable spring 29. Formed on the spring at its lower end is a straight transverse leg 36 which seats in the slot 28 and detachably connects the spring with said screw.

It is now to be noted that the screw 24 maybe adjustably turned by hand to vary the volume of the swirling column of water issuing through the discharge orifice 2| for varying the density of the spray as well as the area thereof. When so adjusted, the spring 29 will frictionally coact with the spider 22 of the plug [9 for yieldably locking the screw in adjusted position. Thus, the impact of said column of water against the head 25 and tending by reason of the swirling motion thereof to rotate the screw 24 out of adjusted position will be prevented.

If so desired, the plug l9 may be screwed down within the shell l3 until the plug engages the flange H. The central portion of the spider 22 will then coact with the seat formed by said flange to close the opening l8 and shut Off the flow of water through the shell. The plug l9 accordingly provides a manually operable valve which may be readily closed, so that, if deemed expedient, chosen heads of a sprinkler system may be easily rendered inoperative.

Having thus describedmy invention, I claim:

A sprinkler head including a shell, a plug mounted therein, and a spray-pattern screw carried by said plug and provided with an inverted substantially pyramidal head having fiat substantially triangular side faces and an upper face, said triangular side faces being separated by elongated flat faces extending substantially from the inverted apex substantially to the upper face.

HOLLY R. GODDARD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 320,247 Hartshorn June 16, 1885 1,724,662 Johnson Aug. 13, 1929 1,931,761 Hertel Oct. 24, 1933 1,987,239 Lochrane Jan. 8, 1935 2,047,716 Thompson July 14, 1936 2,367,213 Harding Jan. 16, 1945 

